The Heart's Frontier (23 page)

W
hen the torrent of tears slowed, Emma became aware of Luke’s arms around her. Warmth rushed from her head to her toes, partly from the pleasure of breathing in the earthy, wholesome scent that clung to him, but mostly from embarrassment. What an unseemly show of emotion. If her neighbors back in Apple Grove heard that she’d thrown herself into a man’s embrace, she would be the subject of shocked gossip for weeks. Public displays of emotion were not encouraged among the Amish. Papa and Mama, whose love for one another radiated from their eyes, had rarely touched in front of Emma, even within the privacy of their own home.

Her face flamed as she stepped away, and she could not bring herself to meet his gaze. “Thank you for saving me.”

“And thank
you
, little gal.” Griff approached from behind her. “I had one foot inside the Pearly Gates until you sprang into action.”

Emma could find no words to reply. She had attacked a man. Not with a weapon, but by using her body as a battering ram. Of course, if she hadn’t acted Griff would be dead. She looked at Earl, whose hands were being tied by Morris, and then at the still unconscious form of Lester. Beyond them lay the bodies of the two rustlers who had been killed because of her foolish behavior, sneaking off into the night and getting herself kidnapped.

What lay heavy on her soul, though, was the fact that she couldn’t find it in herself to feel sorry for them. Nor for her act of violence in order to save Griff’s life.

Papa approached them, his chest heaving from his sprint down the hillside. Never had she been so glad to hear a voice in her entire life as when his rang out in the night. The urge to throw her arms around him and sob was strong, but she knew he would not appreciate such an emotional display, and she had embarrassed herself enough for one night.

He ran up to her, and before she realized what he intended, he gathered her into a strong embrace. “Emma.” His rough beard pressed against her cheek. “My Emma. You are safe.”

The embrace lasted only a moment, and then Papa pulled back, his hands clutching her arms below the shoulders. Stunned, she searched his face and was astonished to see tears glistening in his eyes. Papa,
her
Papa, who never cried.

His face blurred as salty moisture filled her own eyes. “Papa, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I attacked someone. I committed violence against another human being.”

Luke let out an exclamation. “You’re kidding, right? These men kidnapped you. They have stolen from who knows how many people, including your own family. They killed two of my men and were about to kill more
. You saved Griff’s life, Emma. How can that be wrong?”

Anger licked at the confusion obvious on his face. Emma searched for words, but how could she explain the Amish belief of nonresistance? Especially when his question stirred up so much confusion inside her. How
could
saving a life be wrong? Killing was wrong; she knew that. But surely acting in defense of another wasn’t wrong. If she had to choose again, she would do exactly the same as before. And therein lay the source of her guilt.

Papa had mastered his tears and answered Luke’s question. “Christ did not resist, even unto death.” He looked into Emma’s face. “We both have things to discuss with Bishop Miller when we return to Apple Grove, daughter.”

Emma glanced at the unconscious form of her kidnapper and shivered. No matter what the bishop said, she would not be sorry for the mighty bash to the head Luke had given the man. She supposed she’d have to confess that to Bishop Miller too.

But to her father she merely replied, “Yes, Papa.”

During the uproar, the cattle’s nervousness had increased. The bowl-like shape of the surrounding ridge had kept most of them contained, but about a third had found a way over the hills on the opposite side from the pass and escaped into the night. The rest huddled together, stamping their hooves and uttering uneasy calls to one another.

Once the two remaining rustlers were bound securely and roped to their horses, Luke instructed Charlie and Morris to take them, along with Emma and Jonas, back to camp.

“You want us to drive these along with us?” Charlie gestured to the press of cattle.

Luke shook his head and then jerked a nod in the direction of the bound rustlers. “Let’s get those two back to camp first. They’ll be watching for you to get distracted, and I don’t want to give them a chance to escape. I’m going to enjoy handing them over to the sheriff in Hays.” He glared toward Lester, who had regained consciousness and was littering the air with foul curses about the pain in his head and the indignity of being tied sideways on his horse. “Wake Jesse up and tell him to watch them. Then get back here as quick as you can. Griff and I will round up the strays, as long as they haven’t run far, and meet you back here.”

Looked like sleep wasn’t going to happen tonight. By the time they got this rustled herd back to camp and combined with the others, there were likely to only be a couple of hours before daybreak. Not worth the trouble of getting back on his bedroll.

“Got it, boss.” Charlie and Morris headed for their horses.

The assignments taken care of, Luke turned to Jonas and Emma, who stood side-by-side next to Jonas’s horse. The sight of her downcast head stirred up a storm of conflicting emotions. She actually looked as though she felt guilty for being rescued. What was wrong with this woman? Didn’t she realize how close she’d come to—He shook off the images that had plagued him from the moment he saw her being hauled into the rustlers’ camp. The idea that she’d committed some sort of wrongdoing by knocking a man off his feet when he was about to shoot a friend was so foreign to Luke’s thinking he couldn’t get his mind around it. The whole thing made him angry.

“Charlie and Morris will make sure you get back safely. This horse can ride double, no problem.”

Jonas stepped forward and extended a hand. “Once again, the Lord has used you to help my family.”

Luke stared at the outstretched hand for a moment. Jonas’s beliefs might be a little more than he could handle, but Luke couldn’t help respecting the man. He lived what he talked.

He clasped the work-roughened hand. “The diversion was your idea. A good one too.”

A step sideways and he stood in front of Emma. “Here. Let me help you up.”

As he stooped to clasp his hands for her to step into, he realized she was not wearing Jonas’s trousers. She must have taken them off before going to sleep. Instead, he placed his hands around her middle to lift her up into the saddle. His fingers circled her waist, which was much tinier beneath that bulky black dress than he’d realized. Her arms rose and she placed her hands on his shoulders, lifting her head as she did so. Her face was mere inches from his. Twin moons reflected in the eyes that searched his, and glowed on the even white teeth he glimpsed between her parted lips. Anger evaporated, replaced by the almost overpowering urge to pull her close and cover her mouth with his. The memory of her arms around him when she was rescued returned so strongly his hands trembled at her waist.

Beside them, Jonas cleared his throat and shifted his weight from one foot to another.

Exercising a will he didn’t know he possessed, Luke lifted her up into the saddle. Before he released her, she spoke, her voice low and earnest. “I’m sorry I acted foolishly by leaving the camp and putting everyone in danger.”

So that was the cause for her guilt. She felt responsible. Sort of like he’d felt responsible for Willie’s and Kirk’s deaths yesterday. Well, and in a way, she was.

“Why did you do that, Emma? You’re not usually reckless.”

Her eyes flickered sideways, toward Jonas, before returning to his. She spoke in a whisper so low he almost didn’t hear. “I wanted to talk to you alone.”

She removed her hands from his shoulders and leaned back, balancing her weight on the horse’s back. Luke couldn’t tear his gaze away as he stepped back to let Jonas mount. A girl sneaking away from her family to meet up with him in the middle of the night? Jesse would rib him forever if he found out.

But this wasn’t any girl. This was Emma.

Jonas dug his heels in, and the horse trotted away. Charlie and Morris, each leading a second horse with a prisoner lying crosswise over the saddle, fell in behind them. Luke watched until they entered the pass and disappeared behind the hills.

Griff came up beside him leading their horses. He tossed Whitey’s reins at Luke’s chest. “We’d best get to rounding up those strays.”

Luke tore his gaze away from the empty pass to find Griff grinning at him. The old cowboy pushed his hat back on his forehead. “Women, huh? There’s no figuring them.”

“Especially that one,” Luke said as he swung himself up into the saddle.

T
he human component of the camp was awake when Emma and Papa arrived. The campfire blazed as bright flames licked the sky. Emma caught sight of
Maummi
’s familiar form stooped beside it. Rebecca stood in the back of the wagon, dwarfed by the hutch that loomed over her. As Emma watched, her sister caught sight of them and began jumping, her hands waving in the air. A whoop of joy reached Emma’s ears as Rebecca leaped over the side of the wagon and ran to meet them.

“You found her! Oh, Papa, I prayed you would find her, and you have!”

Papa halted the horse with a gentle pull on the reins. For a long moment, his arms remained in place, one before and one behind Emma, holding her securely on the horse’s back. The ride had been made in silence, and Emma fretted that he was angry. Doubtless he had heard her words to Luke and was scandalized that his daughter had crept away to meet a man in the night. Explanations formed in her mind, words that would convince him that there was no sin in her intent, but she hadn’t the nerve to speak, and even came to dread the moment when he would.

“Thanks be to God,” he said.

In that moment, while his strong arms formed a safe barrier around her, she felt a tremor in his muscles that she knew was not anger. He was deeply glad to have her restored to him. She leaned her weight against his arm in a private embrace.

Then he released the reins, dismounted, and raised his hands to assist her. Emotion washed over her as she leaned over and entrusted her weight to Papa. Different feelings than when Luke’s hands had grasped her waist bubbled up within her, but joyful just the same.

The minute her feet touched the ground, Rebecca caught her in an uninhibited hug, bouncing in a circle that would surely have set their Amish neighbors buzzing with disapproval. For the second time today, Emma shocked herself with the realization that she didn’t care what her Amish district would say, which was surely a sinful attitude. Regardless, she returned her sister’s embrace with enthusiasm.

When Rebecca released her, she looked into
Maummi
’s impassive countenance.

“We are glad for your safe return, granddaughter.” Her face came close and she spoke in a low voice that was heavy with emotion that did not show on her face. “You are unharmed?”

The question sent a rush of love through Emma’s chest. Those who thought her grandmother gruff and uncaring didn’t know her at all. “All but my pride at having my foolish behavior made public.”

“Eh.”
Maummi
dismissed that with a wave of her hand. “‘Pluck a proud peacock and he looks like a turkey ready for the pot.’”

Emma laughed.
Maummi
’s unending store of proverbs and wise sayings sometimes irritated her, but at this moment she would relish a whole sermon full. And she did feel a little like a plucked peacock reduced to turkey status.

“What is this?” The wise gaze slid to a point behind Emma’s head, to where Charlie and Morris approached with their charges.

“These are the low-down, good-for-nothing rustlers who took Emma,” Charlie said, with a jerk on the reins of the horse he led. “What’s left of them, anyway.”

A commotion in the wagon drew their attention to Jesse, who was trying to struggle to his feet. “Bring them over here so I can wring a couple of scrawny necks.”

Maummi
pointed a commanding finger at him. “Down with you! Would you undo all the good the day’s rest has brought?”

Morris respectfully took his hat off to address
Maummi
. “Uh, ma’am? Luke sent word to have Jesse guard these two prisoners while Charlie and me go back to help bring up the rest of the herd. Would that be okay?”

With a regal dip of her head,
Maummi
consented. “He can do that while sitting.”

Emma hung back while the rustlers were lowered from their horses, seated on the ground, and tied back-to-back.
Maummi
instructed that her rocking chair be placed nearby, along with a crate from the wagon to prop up Jesse’s injured leg.

“Move that chair a little closer,” Jesse directed from the back of the wagon. He drew his pistol and pointed it at the bound pair, squinting to line up the sights. “And put their hats on their heads. I might take a notion to have me a little target practice, and I’m not too good a shot at night.”

Lester scowled, but Emma couldn’t help grinning at the wide eyes and audible gulp from Earl. She was
fairly
certain Jesse was only joking and wouldn’t really shoot the hats off their heads.

When Charlie and Morris rode off to help Luke and Griff bring in the other cows, Papa mounted his horse and quietly announced that he would lend a hand helping McCann and Vic guard the herd. Apparently no one was interested in sleeping.
Maummi
disappeared around the back of their wagon, and shortly Emma heard the scrape of items being slid across the wooden bed.

Rebecca resumed her favorite activity—mooning over Jesse. She hovered beside his chair.

“Is your leg comfortable? I can bring a quilt to cushion that crate if you want.”

Emma started to protest. The only quilt they had was Mama’s, and that was
not
coming out of the chest until they got back home and it could be returned to its place on her bed.

Jesse shook his head. “I don’t want a quilt.”

From the ground Earl spoke up. “I’ll take a quilt. This ground’s a might hard.”

Rebecca cast a startled glance at him, and Jesse raised his pistol in a threatening manner. “You shut up. You don’t get a quilt or a blanket or anything else. You’re lucky you get to breathe.”

The man fell silent. Rebecca stood with her hands clasped behind her back, staring at Jesse’s profile.

“Would you like a drink of water? I can fetch you one.”

He rolled his eyes. “Isn’t it past your bedtime or something?”

“Rebecca.”
Maummi
’s sharp voice called from behind the wagon. “Help me here.”

A loud sigh of relief sounded from Jesse when Rebecca reluctantly obeyed. He cast a scowling glance after her. “I don’t know what I did to attract that girl’s attention, but if somebody would tell me, I promise I’ll never do it again.”

Emma gave him a sympathetic smile. “She is young and has not known many
Englisch
men.”

He gave her a sideways scowl. “Yeah, well you
Aim
-ish should get out more. Then you wouldn’t be so apt to fall for the first cowhand who comes along.”

His words tossed icy water into Emma’s soul, and her smile melted. Was he talking about Rebecca or about her? Surely he wasn’t saying she went about mooning after Luke the way Rebecca showered attention on him. Or was he?

And more importantly, was he right?

Apparently she’d made a fool of herself by staring at Luke, watching the easy way he rode and admiring his profile when she was sure he wasn’t aware. Did he think of her the way Jesse obviously thought of Rebecca, as a child and a nuisance?

Face flaming, she whirled on her foot and went to help
Maummi
and Rebecca.

Though the sun was not yet in evidence, the eastern sky was a lighter blue than the western half by the time Emma spotted a herd of cattle heading in their direction. Before she could stop herself, she searched the mounted riders until she spotted Luke’s familiar figure atop a white horse that reflected the predawn light. Then she remembered her resolve. She would
not
humiliate herself and her family by mooning after him like a lovesick youth. With deliberate resolve she turned her back to the approaching group and bent over the cook fire, feigning indifference. She did peek behind every so often, but only to watch the convergence of the two herds.

The approach of the new cattle caused a stir among the existing ones. As the lead steers came into sight, the sleeping herd awoke and staggered to its feet. Luke and the other wranglers rode into the fray to break up confrontations before they gave way to aggression. The men worked as a team, even Papa, by forming a constantly moving barrier around the whole, gently but firmly urging them to spread out into the sweet green grass that surrounded their bedding ground. By the time the first rays of light streaked into the sky from the still-hidden sun, the two herds had merged into one and set about grazing peacefully side by side.

The riders approached camp at a gallop. McCann broke off when the others headed for the remuda to turn in their tired horses. He came straight to the chuck wagon.

“Whew, what a night,” he called toward Jesse as he dismounted. “Been a while since I spent that much time in a saddle. I’ve got to get some breakfast going to feed this—”

He stopped short when he caught sight of
Maummi
, who knelt on the other side of the fire pit from Emma, flipping hotcakes on a griddle.

Bushy eyebrows dropped down to rest on his eyelids. “What in tarnation’s going on here?”

Maummi
slid a long-handled spatula beneath a hotcake and tossed it on top of a giant stack being kept warm on a flat rock. “You helped with the cows. I helped with the breakfast.” She switched her attention to a pan full of sizzling bacon without looking up.

Emma stirred the bubbling pot in front of her, decided the apples were ready, and swung the arm to move it out of the direct heat. She felt the cook’s stare burning into her, but she couldn’t meet his eye. In this case, she would take the coward’s way out and leave him to
Maummi
’s capable handling.

“Hey!” He stabbed a finger toward the extra-long griddle. “That’s mine. And that turning fork’s mine too. You’ve been in my chuck wagon!”

He turned and ran toward his wagon.
Maummi
picked up a metal plate, loaded it high with hotcakes and bacon, and then ladled gooey sweet apples overtop. She took it to Jesse’s chair and thrust it in his hands.

“Eat.” The command was issued with a stern stare that no one would dare defy. Then she turned and issued another command to Emma and Rebecca. “Ready the plates.”

Morris and Charlie were still out with the herd, but the rest of the men approached the camp as McCann charged out of the chuck wagon. He glared at
Maummi
and then ran over to thrust his purple face into Luke’s.

“That
woman
”—he pointed backward at
Maummi
—“went into my chuck wagon. She went through my fixins’ and used my pans.” He drew himself stiffly upright to announce her ultimate sin. “She
cleaned
.”